Every Bullet We've Ever Dodged
by LauraDPas
Summary: Years after the destruction of the Reapers, Garrus and Shepard finally settle down as husband and wife. Rated M for the possibility of sexual content, language, etc. in the future.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello all! As this is my first story, I'm very... cautious as I venture into the fanfiction world. Some stuff might be a little OOC for Shep, but I tried to stay true to her as much as I could! Completely Shakarian, and based off the idea that Shepard actually lived after ME3. Be gentle with me, and enjoy -3-**

The room was quiet. Jane sat, skimming through new messages at her terminal. Garrus was busy at work, wiping down his collection of rifles, arranging attachments by preference. It was how they liked things most of the time. Shepard paused, staring blankly at the terminal screen. A message from Eve, thanking her once again for curing the genophage. With the message came an attached file. Eve and a newborn krogan. Jane smiled at this. Who would've thought a krogan could actually be anything but fierce and terrifying, much less _cute_. Her smile fell slowly.

"Hey, Garrus?"

He didn't look up from his gun, only nodding his head in acknowledgement. "Hm?"

She paused, mulling over the idea.

"No. Nothing, never mind."

Garrus glanced over at her wearily. Her brow was furrowed; you could practically see the gears turning in her head. Nothing safe ever came out of that mind of hers, and he had a feeling that this would be no exception.

"Jane."

"Forget it, it was nothing."

He frowned. He was curious now, and as stubborn as Jane was, he'd have to pry it out of her.

"Alright, spit it out."

She spun around to face him, her previously stern expression now a more frantic one, her eyes panicked. It was unlike her to be so… NOT Shepard. She was always so calm, cool, collected. Through out everything, Saren, the collectors, the Reapers, Shepard had always been the one to hold the line. She didn't waiver, she didn't second-guess herself, and she definitely didn't panic. Jane sat there for a moment, searching his eyes for the answer to some nonexistent question.

"Garrus, I want a baby."

His mouth fell open. That wasn't exactly what he'd been expecting.

"I…uh. Jane, this is…"

He stumbled over his words, searching for something appropriate to say, searching for anything to say at all. Her face fell and she groaned, collapsing on the bed.

"Oh, God. I'm sorry. I just thought we… ya know. It's been a few years and…"

She buried her face in a pillow. "Kill me now."

Garrus chuckled at this. While it was out of character for her to be acting so flustered, he was amused by her… humanity. It was refreshing. He knew Jane for who she was, but these were rare moments that he was glad to be around for. He sat beside her, pulling the pillow out of her hands and leaned over her.

"Hey, look at me." He nudged her playfully with an elbow. Jane turned her face from his.

"Jane, listen…"

She sat up quickly and scooted to the end of the bed.

"Forget it! It's not a big deal. Just drop it."

And now she was upset. Garrus beat himself mentally for his hesitation. Sure, he'd never been the smoothest guy in the galaxy, but he could've come up with something better than a few single syllable words. Time to whip out the charm. He stood and walked over to her and, since she was refusing eye contact, he did the only thing he saw fit. He lifted her into the air and threw her over his shoulder.

"Garrus!" She shrieked, flailing helplessly as he carried her to the living room. He stopped.

"Hm? Did you say something? No? Must've been the wind."

She huffed and let her body go limp. There was no fighting it at this point. When he got to the couch, he pulled her back over and cradled her, sitting down slowly.

"Now then. Are you going to talk to me?"

She frowned, looking away.

"Don't make me do this the hard way. Don't forget that I know how to make you squirm, Commander."

Jane shot him a look. It had been ages since he'd referred to her as 'Commander'. That was too impersonal, and it bothered her. A lot.

"Alright, Vakarian. Let's talk." She spit the words out like acid, and threw her legs around his waist, straddling him.

"Mm… Much better." He growled into her neck. She laughed, kissing his cheek lightly. Garrus pulled away, stroking her face with a tentative finger.

"So. A baby, huh?"

Her stare faltered for a moment, but she took a deep breath.

"Yeah. I've been thinking about it… and I know we've talked about it before but…"

Her green eyes began to glisten for a moment.

"We're not getting any younger, Garrus. I think it's time we took the next step."

Garrus looked at her, really studying her face. He could see how much she really wanted this, and who was he to keep her from getting what she wanted? Hell, Jane was the savior of the galaxy, she deserved anything. Everything. He grabbed her suddenly, laying her down on the couch and hovering over her body. He kissed her gently.

"Turian or human?"

**A/N: I would very much appreciate reviews! More to come, hopefully. Future chapters will go more into depth about how Shepard survived, the reunion, etc, etc. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING 3**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I really apologize for taking so long with this chapter! I honestly was NOT expecting that kind of response, so thank you to everyone who read/skimmed/looked at the title and left reviews ;3  
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Shrapnel flew down from the skies at unimaginable speeds. Buildings crumbled around her. She lay, motionless. She felt like death. Her eyes welled up, her lungs aching from the pressure of all the rubble.

"_Come back alive_."

Garrus. Jane closed her eyes. Even that was painful. She fought to remember the last time she saw him. Reaching out for her. She didn't think it was possible to see such a torn look in someone's eyes. He knew he couldn't stop her; he wouldn't stop her. He knew better than anyone that Jane was the only one who could win this war.

But she didn't win the war. Earth was in ruins. Millions were dead. Garrus was dead. Her throat tightened as smoke filled her lungs. It hurt, so much more than anything she'd ever felt. Heartbreak. Failure. Death. The bodies of her comrades lay in the waste of the planet. Ashley, dead. Mordin, dead. Garrus…

_Dead._

And then she was up, running at full speed with her newfound energy. She could see him, just barely make him out in the crowd of shadows.

_Awfully empty galaxy_…

She reached out, tried to call for him. His back was turned but she could hear his laugh.

_Just like old times, Shepard… _

He was so close. She could feel his breath brushing against her cheek; the first time they kissed, the first time they made love.

_Come back alive._

She was there, her hands reaching in front of her. She launched herself forward, straining every muscle in her body as he turned to face her.

_Shepard._

Just as she believed he was within reach, just as the smoke cleared and his face came into focus, her world was falling apart again. The ground was deteriorating beneath her, crumbling with each heavy step she took. Her arms flailed, her heart sank. She screamed. She screamed his name as she fell into the Earth. He stood, watching her descend with that damn look in his eyes. As she began free falling, she heard her own voice echoing in the depths of the void that awaited her.

"_You can't save them all."_

Jane jolted awake. She was breathing heavily, covered in sweat, empty tears falling from her eyes. She blinked hard a few times, adjusting to the dark room. The clock read a little past one a.m. Her mind was struggling, debating on whether or not she was still dreaming. Beside her, Garrus stirred, shifting in his sleep. She ran a hand across his face. Real. _This_ was real.

She rolled out of bed, threw on a robe and made her way to the restroom. She looked at herself. Everything _seemed _normal. Jane let her head hang for a moment, leaning over the sink, clutching the sides for dear life. The nightmares were still there. Five goddamned years and she was still hanging on to things she couldn't change, mistakes she made, the people she lost. A pair of arms found their way around her waist. He didn't say anything, just pulled her close, pressed his mouth against the back of her head.

"I can't forget, Garrus."

There was a silence that filled the room as she cried quietly into her hands.

"I know." He turned her around, brushed the tears from her face, and held her tight against his body.

"Come back to bed."

She stared up at him. Before Jane had come along, he'd never dreamed a human's eyes could be so perfect, so beautiful. Hell, he'd never even taken the time to care. With turians, there was a more… primal attraction. Sure, he supposed a turian with nice fringe and a strong waist was just fine, but beyond that, it always depended on how the woman could handle a rifle. He'd never given _eyes_ a second thought. And with Jane, that's all he saw. He could see every time she'd hurt, every time she'd loved; those eyes were a story in and of themselves. He drew her face to his and kissed her, gently. She pulled away from him.

"Gladly." Her voice was soft, breathy. He knew what that voice meant. She wrapped both arms around his neck, their mouths meeting again, harder this time. Garrus lifted her and she instinctively wrapped her legs around him, letting him hold her weight as he walked them back to the bed. The kisses were becoming more frenzied, and when he laid her down, she smiled mischievously at him, pulling the robe open.

"Since we're up…"

"Feeling better already?" He chuckled, trying not to ogle. He let one of his talons trail a scar that ran down Jane's abdomen. It sent shivers through her whole body.

"What can I say, you're good at what you do." She pulled him down on top of her, laughing as they tangled themselves in the sheets. She could already feel her excitement climbing.

"Besides, _I _want to find out what a human-turian baby looks like."

"Biology may not cooperate." He joked, recalling their good-bye before the final battle against the Reapers. She stuck out her tongue rolled over on top of him, preparing herself for the much needed fun she knew would follow. Just as things began to heat up, there was a loud knock at the door. Jane looked at Garrus, raising an eyebrow at him. He shrugged, threw on a pair of pants and walked to the entrance. From the room, she could hear him talking to someone. He sighed, opening the door reluctantly. His voice and another grew closer. Jane looked at herself, realizing just how naked she was, and fumbled for the robe.

"Garrus?"

"Looks like someone wanted to stop by and say hello after her night out on the town." He called out. She groaned.

"_There goes MY night." _Jane forced herself out of bed just in time to greet Garrus and a very drunk friend of hers.

"Shepard!" The young quarian cheered, throwing her arms, and full body weight, around Jane.

"You'll NEVER believe what happened to me tonight." She said, jubilant and completely unfazed by Jane's irritation. She threw a pleading look towards Garrus. He raised his hands in defense.

"You girls have fun now. I'll… ya know, go sleep on the couch or something." He blew her a kiss as he shut the door. Jane gave a defeated sigh.

"Alright, come on Tali, let's get you cleaned up." She sniffed her friend. "You smell awful." Tali laughed at this, loudly, and continued chattering about the fun she'd had and the guys she'd met.

"And Shepard, he's actually in _love_ with quarians! Can you believe it?"

"Yeah, that's pretty incredible, Tali… awesome." It was going to be a long night  
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**A/N: Sort of a filler chapter. I wanted y'alls(yes, I'm Texan) input on what kind of child you think Shepard and Garrus should have! Turian? Human? Krogan? You tell me! PM or leave your answer in a review:) I promise I'll post up chapter 3 much sooner! Thanks again guys ~**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Yay, I got the third chapter up so quickly! -3- Okay, I took everything you guys said into account so, I hope you guys are pleased with this chapter~  
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"Jane."

Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of her name. She squinted, her eyes straining to focus in the bright room. The house was quiet, which meant that Tali must've already gone home. She rolled over, burying herself in Garrus' chest and mumbling something incoherent. He nudged her lightly.

"Wake up already, we've got our appointment today."

She groaned at the reminder. As much as she was really looking forward to having a baby, after the war ended, Jane had come to realize she wasn't a morning person.

"Time?"

"Just about noon."

So much for morning. With a reluctant sigh, she tore herself away from his warmth and stood, stretching. Garrus whistled.

"Best seat in the house." He winked. She laughed, throwing a pillow at him and running for the restroom.

"I'm going to take a quick shower," She said, pausing at the door and leaning against it provocatively. "Care to join?" Garrus was on his feet in no time, trailing behind her, hoping to make up for their lost opportunity the night before.

The clinic was underwhelming. Even from a distance, Jane hadn't been very impressed by the matte colors and lack of greenery. Garrus had promised that she would prefer this one over her regular doctor's office but… it wasn't living up to the expectation. She wasn't sure she wanted to entrust her future children to some mad scientist that made a living doing 'free and legal' operations.

"I just don't understand why we couldn't go see Dr. Chakwas. She's an old friend and I trust her and-"

"Jane, this guy is a genius. If anyone can help us out, it's him." He gave her a knowing look and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Just trust me." She narrowed her eyes at him and huffed. He was up to something.

"Jane Vakarian?" A young asari approached the couple, paperwork in hand. "If you'll follow me, the doctor is ready for you." She smiled pleasantly, leading them through the halls. It was a lot bigger than the exterior led on, Jane was beginning to think it would never end. The secretary stopped abruptly, opening a door and ushering them in. "The doctor will be here momentarily." She beamed at the two one last time before exiting. Aside from the quiet hum of the lights, the room was silent. For the first time, Jane began to feel anxious. She wanted so desperately to be able to have her own children, but with the species difference, she feared it was impossible. Adoption wasn't a horrible idea; they'd considered it thoroughly before coming here, but something about seeing her features on a child, seeing parts of Garrus. She wanted _that_. Garrus held her hands in his, silently reassuring her that things would work out, one way or another. The doors slid open at the moment and her mouth fell open.

"Mr. and Mrs. Vakarian?" The doctor addressed them. "My name is Mazik Solus." He gave the two a warm, familiar smile. "I believe the two of you were good friends of my uncle."

Jane couldn't believe her eyes. The resemblance was striking. If she hadn't known any better, she would've thought that Mordin was standing right in front of her. Mazik's skin held the same reddish tone that Mordin's had; even his markings were beyond similar. Unlike his late uncle, he spoke slowly, clearly, careful to annunciate and vocalize each word. He cleared his throat, awaiting some sort of response.

"You're Mordin's nephew." Jane stated bluntly.

"Yes, that would be the assumption." He laughed. God, he even had his voice. It made her heart ache; it was like seeing her old friend again, alive and happy. She opened her mouth to speak, say something, _anything_ about the salarian who'd cured the genophage.

_"Had to be me."_

"Yes, Mordin was a brilliant man. And Shepard-" He stopped himself, "If I may call you that." She nodded, granting him permission. Somehow it felt better than 'Mrs. Vakarian'.

"Shepard, I know my uncle died doing the right thing so please, don't apologize for anything."

Although she'd never given the slightest hint at wanting to apologize, he seemed to know what she was thinking. In his own way, he was telling her to keep it in the past, to move on. She smiled gratefully. With that, Mazik straightened the papers he'd been given and sat at his desk.

"So, you want to know if cross-species fertilization is possible, correct?"

Both Jane and Garrus were a little taken aback by how straightforward he was, but Garrus was quick to respond.

"Absolutely, Doctor. We've… er… mated multiple times, with no luck and we _are_ ready to have a child." As Garrus spoke, Jane's grip on his hand grew tighter. She'd never been so nervous. Mazik sifted through multiple files on his data pad before facing the couple and crossing his arms.

"I don't want to say it's impossible but…" He shook his head. "It's dangerous, to say the least."

Jane's heart sunk. Beside her, Garrus could practically feel her spirits fall.

"It wouldn't be the first time we've taken a big risk." Garrus chuckled, aiming his words at Jane, rather than the doctor. Mazik laughed briefly before dropping to a more serious tone.

"Indeed. All jokes aside, the most I can truly do is intertwine the gametes, or sexual cells, that match up. Turians and humans are similar, but also _very_ different." He said in a matter-of-fact way, scratching his chin.

"Well, what does that entail exactly?" Garrus was going to give Jane a child, no matter what it took. Mazik paused, looking over at Jane. He could see how much it pained her. No woman should be denied motherhood. As a salarian, he knew just how true that was.

"The child _will_ be human…" He turned the words over in his mind. "… but with some work, I _could_ make it so that it has turian qualities. Essentially, it will be the offspring of both of you. Just mostly human." He looked to the two. Garrus was focused on Jane. This was her decision. He wanted to try, but if she wanted to adopt, he'd be okay with that too. Whatever she wanted. After what seemed like an eternity, Jane looked up at Mazik.

"I can guarantee minimal risk, should you chose this way." He added, meeting her eyes. She trusted him. She'd known him for maybe 30 minutes and she already trusted him with her life. She was ready for this.

"When do we start?" She grinned.  
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**A/N: And there it is! Again, thank you to everyone who reads, keep those reviews coming! 3**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm SO sorry about taking so long! I've been pretty busy lately so I haven't had any time to write:( I promise next chapter won't take as long to get posted. Love you guys! 3  
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Lights flashed as the scanner rolled over Jane's body. She'd been anxious to begin the procedure but hadn't anticipated the amount of time she'd be spending in the hospital, not that _that_ was anything new. Garrus was patient, most of the time. He'd shown up for every appointment without fail in the beginning, but once he knew she could handle going alone, he went back to work.

"Bills don't pay themselves" He'd joked. "Not even when you're '_Commander Shepard_'"

She rolled her eyes at this. They had enough money to last a lifetime; the Alliance had been pretty generous on that end. She supposed dying once and nearly dying a second time was enough to convince them that she deserved an early retirement. When it came down to it though, she wasn't really all that surprised when Garrus turned down a similar offer. He was always more of a 'work-now-play-later' kind of guy, and it seemed nothing had really changed in the past few years. Rather than fighting off geth or destroying Reapers though, he busied himself with diplomatic work. 'Bureaucratic bullshit', she recalled him saying once. He complained about it every night but, in a way, Jane felt he secretly liked being at the top of the political food chain.

"Alright, I think we're done for the day." Her thoughts were interrupted by Mazik, whose hands moved skillfully across the terminal screen. The machine raised her upright and she stepped down, rolling her shoulders back. She could feel a kink that must've formed in the time she'd been laid out on the scanner.

"So, what next?" She took a seat, taking time to stretch her tired muscles. The doctor paid no attention to her, focusing on his work, muttering to himself occasionally. It was times like this she felt like she was watching Mordin work again. Eyes darting back and forth, his mind comprehending things she never could.

"Must be a family trait." She laughed to herself. He glanced over at her, his concentration broken for a split second.

"What was that?" She waved a hand, dismissing it. Mazik looked at her for a moment, confused, then went straight back to work when a scrolling image caught his eye.

"Will you be ready for insemination tomorrow?" His eyes skimmed over the image then focused on Jane.

"Yeah. Absolutely." He nodded, and his expression softened.

"Jane, there is no need to worry. You are in very capable hands." He'd caught the hesitation in her voice. In his line of work, it was not uncommon for a patient to feel uneasy about a procedure, especially one as rare as this. He was confident in his abilities, though; he had to be. After the news of the cured genophage had leaked, the salarian officials had made sure to admonish the Solus family for this 'catastrophe'. For years, carrying the name held great dishonor, shame. It wasn't until the krogan had stepped forward and brokered a peace between the races, that Mordin was treated as a hero. It made him sick to his stomach, the superficiality of his kind. They were too concerned with politics to care about right and wrong. The Solus name was revered galaxy wide. It was a lot to live up to. Mazik realized he'd let his mind wander, so he cleared his throat and folded his hands together. Jane was still silent. She looked so sad; nothing like the great commander he'd been so anxious to meet. It was strange to see her like this, out of the armor, not posing with the latest weaponry the way she did for the magazines. He was relieved by her laid-back demeanor, appreciated her humor. It was hard to believe that the woman who had saved the galaxy from destruction could be so _normal_ after everything she'd been through. He walked to her and knelt, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Relax. You're going to be a mother."

At his words, she smiled. Tears rolled down her cheeks, as she thought back to a conversation she'd had with Mordin. It had started friendly. Just two people laughing over drinks. The mood of the room had become serious as they discussed their pasts.

_"And that's it. Boom. Hits you hard. Never really ready to accept it." Mordin swirled his blue drink, looking at it thoughtfully. "Realized that reality comes for you, whether ready or not."_

_"Hell yeah, I'll drink to that." She spat drunkenly, downing the bitter alcohol. The salarian continued to stare into his glass. _

_"Sad to think about. No one ever ready. Not until the end, anyway."  
* _

Garrus sat outside the lab, anxious. He'd offered to go in with her, make sure everything went okay, hold her hand if she needed it. Jane wouldn't have it. He blamed it on the hormones the salarian had been feeding her since the treatments began. He noticed some behavioral differences after the first session. She was hungry, _very_ hungry, all the time; her appetite seemed insatiable. Then she became whiny and sad and begged Garrus for many things, most of which happened to be more food.

"Ice cream." She whimpered from across the room one night.

"Say again?" He turned from his terminal to look at her, wrapped in blankets and pouting. He hated to admit it, but she was absolutely adorable.

"I want ice cream." At this point, her eyes were the size of saucers, and he begrudgingly gave in and bought her her silly human food. He didn't see the appeal of sweetened milk. Jane had convinced him to try it once, but the texture didn't agree with his preferences. The biggest change he had noticed, though, was her libido. Jane had never been lacking in the area of sexual performance; she was better than any turian woman he'd been with. Mazik had warned him about this privately and advised against giving in to her needs, but how was he supposed to turn her down? She nearly jumped his bones when he'd attempted a little restraint. Sure, the doctor had been upset, but hell, he wasn't about to complain. He could feel his own desire flare up when he thought about how incredible those nights had been. Now _that_ was something he could get used to. An asari nurse approached him suddenly, drawing him out of his thoughts.

"Dr. Solus is ready for you." He followed her down the hallways, a sudden twinge of nervousness creeping up on him. The nurse glanced at him.

"Mr. Vakarian, I just want to say how honored I am to have met you." He nodded briefly. It seemed he had a fan. She smiled, her swinging arm brushing against his.

"_Very_ honored." Her tone was suggestive. Uh-oh. He kept his eyes focused forward.

"The pleasure is mine." He said dryly. '_Meaning I'm not interested.'_

The young nurse was oblivious, but her advances were cut short when Mazik stepped out into the hallway.

"Ah, Garrus, there you are. Jane is waiting." At that, he broke from the nurse's stride and rushed to the door. Mazik shut the door and decided to leave the couple to experience this moment on their own. Jane was laid out on a bed, worn out and tired. Turning her head towards the door, she gave a weak smile.

"Well hey there." Her weight shifted as she struggled to sit upright. Garrus was at her side almost immediately, pressing her shoulders back.

"No need to get all excited, it's just me." He chuckled. "Lay down." She batted his hands away and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him into a deep kiss. Garrus obliged, although surprised at her energy so soon after surgery. He tore himself from her grasp and nuzzled her nose, giving it a peck. He sat down beside her.

"So…" He fidgeted, unsure of what to say. She looked at him expectantly, waiting to hear the words from his mouth. After a good minute of stumbling over a single sentence, she gave in. Reaching out, Jane grabbed his hand and brought it to her stomach. Silence filled the room as it sunk in. A smile broke out across his face.

"Congratulations!" Mazik burst into the room. "May the path of parenthood be ever gracious to the two of you." Jane and Garrus could do nothing but laugh as the salarian bowed dramatically. As much as it hurt to laugh, she did so with enthusiasm and savored the moment of pure happiness.  
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**A/N: Thank you guys for sticking with me! More to come:)**


	5. Chapter 5

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Jane let out a heavy sigh, lightly trailing the scar that stretched across her lower abdomen. Just another one to add to the list, she supposed. Garrus made a habit of reminding her that he found it attractive. He tried his best to keep the conversation light, playing at her sense of humor.

"Though, I'm a bit jealous. I think you've got more scars than me now."

The air in the room went still, and he immediately regretted his words. The tension was building and he knew he'd have consequences to deal with. Jane's response was uncharacteristic, to the point where he actually couldn't keep his mouth from falling open. She burst into tears on the spot. Neither of them knew whether she was actually offended, or if it was just the ridiculous amount of painkillers Mazik had been feeding her. Nonetheless, Garrus gathered her up in his arms, whispering apologies, rocking her back and forth in an attempt to soothe her. They laid in bed for hours, Jane curled up against him. Her crying had ceased to an occasional sniffle as she held herself to his chest, matching her breathing to his.

"Garrus?" She peeked up at him. His eyes were closed, his head hanging lazily. His fringe flared slightly at the sound of her voice, but beyond that, he made no indication of his consciousness. Jane wriggled out of his arms, careful not to stir him, and slipped out of the room. The house was quiet, as it often was. As she walked down the hall, she could just barely make out the soft hum of the aquarium. She took a moment to look into the blue water, watching two Koi fish dance around each other with grace. On the opposite end, the eel, claimed by Garrus as 'his eel', hunkered down beneath a strategically placed rock, watching the other fish with interest, but not daring to move. In her mind, she tried to compare caring for these creatures to caring for a child, but found the thought impractical. At the touch of a button, food sprinkled down on the fish, some darting up to feed, others gliding through the water with indifference. She could only foolishly hope that raising a child would be as simple. Lost in her thoughts, she was brought back to reality by a low rumble in her stomach. Had she eaten at all today? It had to be a least five by this point, and she scolded herself mentally. Mazik had reminded her that she was eating for two now; her health was more important now than it had ever been, due mostly in part to the rarity of her situation.

In the kitchen, the food stared at her from the fridge. She scanned the shelves multiple times for anything that would fulfill her appetite, but found herself distinctly put off by the food she had been craving no more than a week earlier.

"So, what do you want, ya little monster?" She mumbled, giving her tummy a light pat. Her stomach growled again, and she couldn't help but laugh. As she was closing the refrigerator door, she spied an unlabeled container. Lifting the lid, she cautiously sniffed the strange food. Garrus' maybe? It sure didn't look like any human food she'd ever seen. Jane bumped the door closed with her hip and walked to the countertop, still eyeing the container. It was filled with a brown paste, similar to peanut butter but with a chunkier texture. Dipping her pinky finger in the substance, she raised it to her mouth and licked it. It was sweet, the sweetest thing she'd ever tasted. She scooped it onto her finger again, a bigger portion this time, and popped it into her mouth. Almost instantly, she felt her stomach begin to fill, her hunger subdued.

"Wow. This is…" She reached for a spoon and dipped it into the plastic container, marveling at this incredible treat.

"Careful now." Startled by his silent entrance, Jane jumped, dropping the spoon and splattering the paste on the ground. She looked at Garrus, who stood coolly against the wall, a smile playing at his mouth. She hung her head in guilt; caught red-handed.

"How long have you-"

"I saw everything." He said with a shrug. Her face flushed with embarrassment. He stepped over to the counter and lifted the container, looking it over and then tilting his head.

"Turian food. Why were you eating this?" Neither of them spoke, and in that silence, Garrus found his answer. He laughed heartily and kneeled in front of Jane, raising a careful hand to her stomach.

"The kid, huh?" She gave him an apologetic smile and nodded.

"Well, you can't just swallow it down, I'll tell you that." With a sigh, he stood and sealed the lid, putting it out of her reach.

"Each too much and you might very well explode." She caught the humor in his voice as he gently poked her in the side. Taking her hands in his, he frowned, though his eyes glinted with amusement.

"I'm serious though. Don't over-do it. That stuff will fill you up pretty quick, and you could get sick." Garrus pulled her into his arms and planted a soft kiss the side of her head, breathing in her scent as he did. "The last thing I need is another trip to the mad scientist." He scoffed. She gave him what she hoped was a stern look; all he saw was the great Commander Shepard in 'pouty' mode.

"He really helped us, Garrus. You could be a little appreciative."

"You don't think I am?" He frowned, pulling her back. "The only think I don't _appreciate_ is how much stress he's been putting on you during this whole procedure. Jane, I want this to be easy for you, as easy as we can make it. You've put your life at risk too many times." He brought a hand up to cup her face and wrapped the other around her waist. Jane was always putting others ahead of herself; he needed her to see that her life mattered, too. She blinked at him with confusion. In her mind, there weren't enough times she could ever put herself in the line of fire to save someone.

"Force of habit, I guess…" She gave him a shy smile, fluttering her eyelashes in an attempt to lighten his mood. He shook his head and held her closer, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"You're just like a child, you know that?" He chuckled. A thought crossed his mind in that moment, and he released Jane. With feigned disinterest, he strode over to the couch and sat, thoughtfully thrumming the cushion.

"By the way, Tali's going to throw a fit if you don't call her about this. How long has it been since we've known now?" He glanced at Jane as she groaned and laid her head on the countertop.

"Do I have to? She'll want to throw a party." She whimpered. "Garrus, you know I don't want a party." Jane looked to him for sympathy, but all he offered her was a lazy shrug. She cringed, already imaging all the insane things Tali would say and all the planning that would ensue. Maybe she'd call Liara first. Liara was the calm, understanding one. Maybe SHE could deliver the news to Tali. Jane pulled up the comm. system and, as the call connected, she prayed her old friend would come through for her.  
****

**A/N: You already know I'm going to apologize like crazy, BUT, I do have a present for you guys! As an apology gift, I will be taking requests for _any_ Mass Effect one-shot you would like to see. There are no limits! If you happen to have a request, feel free to PM me your idea, and I will portray it as best as I can. Once I get them started, they will be listed under a new story title, so be sure to keep an eye out! Thank you so much to those of you who stuck around and waited for my lazy ass to update finally. LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH. More of Garrus and Shep to come :)**


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